Compact History

Curry is not one dish, one recipe or even the product of one country. Its history stretches from ancient South Asian spice traditions to Mughal court kitchens, Portuguese trading ports, British colonial households and migrant communities around the world. In this episode of Compact History, we explore the regional cuisines that existed long before the word "curry" became widely used, discover how chillies and other American crops transformed Indian cooking, and follow curry as it travelled to Britain, the Caribbean, South Africa and Japan. We also examine the rise of the British curry house and the reinvention of dishes such as vindaloo, chicken tikka masala and Japanese curry rice.
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Built across a lagoon and protected by the sea, Venice developed from scattered island settlements into one of the most powerful commercial republics in European history. Its merchants traded across the Mediterranean, its shipyards produced formidable fleets, and its political institutions kept the republic functioning for centuries. Venice also helped redirect the Fourth Crusade, created an extensive maritime empire and became a major centre of Renaissance art, architecture and printing. Yet Ottoman expansion, changing trade routes and the arrival of Napoleon gradually brought Venetian independence to an end. This episode traces the history of Venice from its uncertain origins and the rise of the doges to the fall of the republic in 1797, its incorporation into Italy and the environmental and social challenges facing the city today.
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From the bronze-tipped rams of ancient Mediterranean galleys to the guided missiles and nuclear submarines of the modern era, warships have constantly evolved in response to new weapons, technologies and strategic demands. Discover how the trireme gave way to the ship of the line, how steam and armour ended the age of wooden fleets, why HMS Dreadnought transformed naval power, and how aircraft carriers, submarines and uncrewed vessels changed warfare at sea. This is The History of Warships.
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From medieval monasteries and royal courts to hidden Highland stills, American rebellion and the global revival of premium spirits, whiskey has travelled a remarkable road. Discover how distillation developed, why Ireland and Scotland created different traditions, how taxation encouraged generations of smugglers, and how migrants carried whiskey-making across the Atlantic. We also explore the rise of bourbon, the devastation caused by Prohibition and war, the emergence of Japanese whisky, and the modern industry that turns grain, water, yeast, oak and time into one of the world's most celebrated drinks.
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The metric system is so familiar today that it is easy to forget how radical it once was. Before metres, litres and kilograms, measurement was a confusing patchwork of local customs, regional habits and awkward conversions.
In this episode of Compact History, we trace the story of the metric system from the disorder of old weights and measures to the revolutionary reforms of France, the creation of the metre and kilogram, the slow resistance to metrication, and the rise of international scientific standards. Along the way, we explore why the system spread across much of the world, why some countries still hold on to older units, and why modern science depends on measurements that can be trusted everywhere.
The metric system began as an Enlightenment dream of rational order. Today, it underpins trade, medicine, engineering, space travel, climate science and almost every part of modern technology.
The History of the Metric System, from revolutionary idea to global standard.
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